‘Homebase is the most disastrous retail acquisition in the UK ever’

Australia’s Bunnings caught out by ‘complexity’ of British home improvements market

It’s an Aussie institution in crisis after aggressive management led to disgrace and embarrassment overseas. It also knows a thing or two about sandpaper.

This is not the country’s cricket side, but Bunnings, the Australian DIY retailer, that set out to conquer Britain by revamping Homebase but ended up writing off A$1bn (£547m) after a catalogue of major mistakes.